Fred's STi - Prodrive FTMFW. and Silver > Gold.

[WKderF]

I picked up my car halloween 2003 after looking for a mazdaspeed protege but not finding a good price on one. at the time I was working for a hobby company in NJ and was keeping my car stock. It all started with a sale on Tein S-tech lowering springs. I picked them up from extreme PSI and with that - my modding started. There are 2 separate genres of my mods: performance & styling, and Audio / video. I have always been into car audio and this car would be no exception. The audio system has gone through 2 full revisions already and the 3rd is underway.

this is a perfect opportunity to blog the progress of the 3rd install to give you all an idea of the time & effort that goes into al FULL A/V system design.

pics & more info to follow.

[teh DIRT]

that was your first mod? so i did your first mod? awesome!

[WKderF]

The beginning:

It all starts with the gear. once the equipment is selected, then a rough idea of the layout is designed. This is most usually accomplished by staring at an empty trunk for hours on end. once an idea is figured out (which will probably change 2 or 3 times) we need to make the pieces which will hold the gear. The main focal point of this install will be the sub enclosure. so the pics below are of the fabrication & layout configuration of what will become the sub enclosure:


the very rough design concept:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07002.jpg

fabricating the rings to hold the subs:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07004.jpg

communicating with managers:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07006.jpg

The finished ring to hold the sub:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07008.jpg

fabricating the center portion of the enclosure that will hold the CO2 tank:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07012.jpg

sanding the now fiberglassed CO2 tank portion of the enclosure:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07017.jpg

[WKderF]

Continuing work, we begin to fabricate the skeleton of the sub enclosure:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07024.jpg

[WKderF]

The enclosure skeleton with the sube rings & CO2 tank holder in place:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07027.jpg

[WKderF]

The enclosure with the bottle in its place:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07030.jpg

[Evo8kid]

VERY nice, you know what your doing, we also think alot alike haha

[Jeffros Spec V]

more more more....

[WKderF]

lol, alright, well here is a shot of the skeleton from the side:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07031.jpg

[WKderF]

The next step is to cover the skeleton with a flexible fabric & staple the fabric to the skeleton. This fabric is then covered with resin & fiberglass & this will be the first time we will be able to get a half decent idea of what the sub enclosure will look like. We realized once we covered the enclosure that it was simply too big in its original form, so we cut a single rib from the back of the enclosure to better approximate the amount of airspace we needed for proper sound quality.
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07032.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07033.jpg

[WKderF]

and a shot with the bottle in its place:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07035.jpg

[WKderF]

before we fiberglass the enclosure, we put it in the car just to check for clearances and just the general look thus far. once the enclosure has been fiberglassed & the beginning coats of bondo are applied, we can begin the fabrication of the floor where the amplifiers & capcitor will go.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07037.jpg

[WKderF]

The first coat of resin & fiberglass:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07038.jpg

It may look messy now, but after it dries we sand it, apply bondo, & sand some more. Eventually the enclosure will be sanded smooth as glass & then painted to match the car.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07040.jpg

[ToyotaTat]

looking good so far, you gonna do dynamat?

[WKderF]

well now this thread is all caught up. as work continues i will add to this journal. feel free to ask questions & ill try to answer them as they come up. Understand also please that work on my system only happens when my installer has 1/2 of the day or more free, so as we head into the hoilday season, work on the project may be very slow. but we will most deffinitly finish in time for the 07 show season!

[WKderF]

looking good so far, you gonna do dynamat?

Yes. The entire interior has already been dynamatted and although it cannot be seen, the entire trunk lik & floor of the trunk has been dynamatted as well. we will dynamat the sides of the trunk but only after the design for that area has been finalized.

[ToyotaTat]

damn thats gonna be a bangin system

[Jeffros Spec V]

This is very cool. Please keep this updated.

I'm interest on how you guys mount things, keep them from sliding all over the place.

[WKderF]

although we have yet to fabricate it, the box will be secured to the wood panel of the floor using simple wood screws. the enclosure will also be bolted to 2 upright metal support brces that aid in supporting the rear seat.

[jspek]

for anyone who has gone to the last couple of meets and heard fred yelling at me to fix the one pic of his car here it is...
http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/5336/fredmm5.jpg

[WKderF]

Another coat of fiberglass & resin went on the enclosure today. ill have pics up tomorrow. Hopefully by the end of the week our duraglass will arrive so we can begin the shaping portion of the install. for those who dont know, duraglass is a mixture of fiberglass & bondo. it has the consistency of thick mud & works great in situations like theese. pics to come.

[james_ls]

Fred = sick.

Can't wait to see THIS one aswell.

Interior is staying the same though correct??

[WKderF]

incorrect. As you may be able to tell from my for sale threads: I am changing up the interior as well. soon in place will be a new pair of reclinable racing seats and custom upholstered rear seats & door cards to match. already in place is a sparco harness bar with 3 inch blue sparco harnesses, as well as a sparco steering wheel with quick release. I have a few Pioneer monitors that have to get worked into the interior somehow, but i cant find a place for them yet. here are a few pics of the interior:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/pix029.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/pix030.jpg

[WKderF]

I just found a few pics of my old audio /video setup. This setup lasted about 6 months or so. I was happy to keep it but I was awarded a full sponsorship with JL audio so EVERY piece of the old system had to go.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/alpinesys1.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/alpinesys2.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/alpinesys4.jpg

[EvlEgl]

Balllllinn!

[joe tom]

very impressed fred, keep us updated with new setup!

[WKderF]

Well after a long wait, Our Duraglass finally showed up. Duraglass is a mixture of bondo & fiberglass & is great for the first coat over the fiberglass structure to give the bondo something to grab onto as well as the initial sanding layer. So today we gave the enclosure a rough sanding. tomorrow starts the painfull process of bondo - sand - bondo - sand, etc. . .

Pics to follow tomorrow.

[MuddyREX]

Sooooo, update?

[WKderF]

update:

Well since the holidays are rapidly approaching, work on my car has meen moved to the back burner so to speak. work on the enclosure continues at a slow, but steady pace. below are pictures of the enclosure with its first of many coats of bondo.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07055.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07043.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07044.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07046.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07047.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07048.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07050.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07051.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07053.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07054.jpg

[WKderF]

and as a sidenote:

ive ordered up a set of Recaro speed seats for the front, and im working on new exterior modifications. im looking into new wheels for the coming spring, and I am really looking forward to coming out of the winter months with a fresh & great looking daily driver.

[Crzyguy972]

i am in love with your old setup, cant wait to see hte new. Do you have pic of your rar view camera we have hte same one and im looking for a new clean way to mount it. Currently tweeter attached it to my liscense plate iwth velcro

also where di u put ur navigation antenna, mine is on my trunk likd looking for a new spot

[gsrboi80]

Great work man A+

[WKderF]

i am in love with your old setup, cant wait to see hte new. Do you have pic of your rar view camera we have hte same one and im looking for a new clean way to mount it. Currently tweeter attached it to my liscense plate iwth velcro

also where di u put ur navigation antenna, mine is on my trunk likd looking for a new spot

velcro?:screwy:

which tweeter did u go to?

anyways, my camera is mounted securely to my rear bumper just to the right of my license plate.

as for the GPS antenna, its centered on my dashboard where it meets the windshield. ill get pics of the antennas & the camera when i get a chance.

[subwrxkid]

Tweeter took bubble gum and put my rear view camera on.

just playing.

But Fred, system is look hot kid. How about that peice that goes on the trunk lid, so I can re-wrap it in bride stuff.

[Crzyguy972]

velcro?:screwy:

which tweeter did u go to?

anyways, my camera is mounted securely to my rear bumper just to the right of my license plate.

as for the GPS antenna, its centered on my dashboard where it meets the windshield. ill get pics of the antennas & the camera when i get a chance.

it suprisingly works well, i went to oxford valley. I m just looking to get it off the plate.

[WKderF]

sanding, sanding, & more sanding:

work on the box continues, and soon we will begin on the trunk floor layout & work on amp & capacitor install & wire management.

the enclosure is gettin better:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07057.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07062.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07058.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07061.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/system07063.jpg

[Buster]

post some pics of the front mount for me please?

[Crzyguy972]

wow its coming along really nice, i guess i was never really aware how long a custom enclosure really takes. keep up the good work.

[WKderF]

as requested:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/DSC00098-1.jpg

[SlideWayzS13]

How much are the intercooler coolers??? Advantages of owning one?

[vwcorradokid]

The new setup looks killer. Good luck with it. Can't wait to see the finished product.

[dt98gsr]

Car looks great man, and enclosure seems to be coming along very well. Keep us updated and keep up the good work.

[WKderF]

UPDATE!!!!!!!

So the winter came & went, and work on my car slowed to a snails pace. minor upgrades were done to the car itself.

My Wilwood brake setup which has served me very well the past few years, has been replaced with a 330mm Prodrive / alcon braking system. I was not at all prepared for the stopping power of theese brakes. HOLY S!!! they clamp down like a mofo.

because the new brakes are ALOT bigger than my old ones, i needed new wheels. so out with the old Volks, and in with the new. im now rolling on a set of 18x8 Volk GT-V 2 piece wheels. its a new look that i like alot & im very happy with the results.

I also finally upgraded my suspension from TEIN S-tech springs to a full set of TEIN Flex coilovers. ride comfort is about the same, but cornering is vastly improved.

Work on my audio system will be re-commencing tomorrow, and ill have a slew of pics for all of you. check back to see the new look for 07. I hope you like it!

[CHAOS]

good **** fred... cant wait to see how she looks now.

[StreetEG]

In for pics! Saw this car on the spring run and it was one hell of a ride....

[subwrxkid]

I saw it last night in person and it's looking FRESH!

[WKderF]

bad pic - but better ones will follow.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/brakeinstall010.jpg

[karl]

demands more pics!

[CHAOS]

demands more pics!

+10000

[WKderF]

as soon as the weather clears ill have a bunch of them. i promise.

[TROLL]

ha... done? stop kidding yourself. $50 says you spend at least a grand on new stuff before next spring, and i wont even include audio stuff in that.

[WKderF]

ha,

when i say done what I mean is that I am almost done replacing stock parts with aftermarket ones. once that is done, im sure ill be constantly swaping aftermarket parts to follow a brand theme or such, like swapping a sparco shift knob for a prodrive one, etc. . . but replacing stock things with new ones is almost complete.

[S4toSTI]

ha... done? stop kidding yourself. $50 says you spend at least a grand on new stuff before next spring, and i wont even include audio stuff in that.

http://images22.fotki.com/v762/photos/7/737446/4501444/BJS_4549copy-vi.jpg
Here is my 50 but i think it will be more like 1500.

[MuddyREX]

I like the new brakes, a lot.

[the mike]

You need some RA-R brakes Fred. (D will probably get them first though:finga: )

[subwrxkid]

lol im sure if I knew who had them for sale I would have already. I'm more into bling, so a nice set of Endless 6-pot front, 4-pot rears would be more my style, but that's $7,500 in brakes! :eek:

BTW, Fred is not done. I heard some plans of his and it's definately going to take more than $1,500 to do them soo, i'll double Troll and Barry's bet. :wink:

[TROLL]

D, the RA-R brakes are $5000 for the fronts... and I can get them for you... so should I place your order? :). soooo hot though. and they are also Alcons.

zomg!!
http://zero-400.way-nifty.com/photos/uncategorized/dscf1236.jpg

[subwrxkid]

I agree, they are definately really hot. I really really think you should rock those white sti wheels on your car!

[Renegade_]

My Wilwood brake setup which has served me very well the past few years, has been replaced with a 330mm Prodrive / alcon braking system. I was not at all prepared for the stopping power of theese brakes. HOLY S!!! they clamp down like a mofo.
You sell the wilwoods? How much did you let em go for?

New setup looks sick, the prodrives are amazing.

[WKderF]

the wilwoods are technically not sold yet - but a sale is pretty much pending on them.

continuing on:

well, it was only a matter of time, but last night my front lip finally gave up & shattered. so im now in the market for a new one. not sure yet what i want to go with, but i want something low key - not crazy. right now im thinkin JDM STi lip, but that may change.

also,

work on my trunk has finally recommenced. the portion to hold the amps & capacitor has been framed out & needs to be fiberglassed. once that is done, next comes a bit more sanding, & finally vinyl & suede wrapping & trim to finish the trunk off. the enclosure itself as well as the CO2 tank are being sent out to paint in a few weeks. after they return, its final assembly & trim.

and then, for now, ill be done.






stay tuned.

[WKderF]

ok, so i got a chance to take some better pics of the wheels & brakes:


http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto039.jpg


http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto041.jpg

a full shot of the car. no lip :(

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto044.jpg

[WKderF]

also:

I got a chance to check out a new product being sold on nasioc. the company is called Stealth Auto & they sell chromed bulbs. Ive wanted to get a set of chromed bulbs ever since i cleared my headlights, and now ive finally gotten a set of them. the quality of the chrome finish is flawless & they really look to be of great quality. check out the before & after pics. I really like how they clean up the tailights & get rid of the amber reflection. the housings have a much cleaner look to them:

the bulbs themselves:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto007.jpg

Before:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto018.jpg

after:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto023.jpg



and they still light up amber when turned on. no inspection problems whatsoever:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto030.jpg



and the tail lights:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto015.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto012.jpg


check out my ass:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto016.jpg


thats it for now. more to come. things are really coming together.

[CHAOS]

wheres the lip?

[WKderF]

here is whats left of the lip:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/stealthauto035.jpg

apparently, a lip is a plow for puddles too, not just snow.

[Evo8kid]

^^what happened?

[WKderF]

apparently, a lip is a plow for puddles too, not just snow.


i hit a puddle & the water pulled the lip under the car. front lip is no more. the greddy lip is made of uethane so it bends to a certain pont & then just snaps. im looking into a new one to be installed soon.

[CHAOS]

which is the greddy lip? im not familiar with it... im going to replace my vlimited with a urethane copy

[WKderF]

the former greddy lip:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/DSC00097.jpg

[Evo8kid]

ouch! that sucks bro

[WKderF]

eh,

im bummed but not totally. ive been looking for an excuse to buy a new lip. this is just life's way of saying: "its time"

[WKderF]

wow, looking at the picture above, I just realized how much USDM foglights suck.


JDM FTW.

[JettaMan17]

that is one sexy wrx

Leave the wing on!

[freebmx444]

how good is the intercooler sprayer? i was thinking about geting one soon and want to know it its a good investment

[WKderF]

well, I jus got back from a week in A.C. and being away from home for a week made me realize how much I like the idea of having the use of my trunk. Realizing this, Im all of the sudden not looking forward to the large, elaborate system that is in the middle of production. dont get me wrong - i love the look of it, but I want my trunkspace. so as unfortunate as it is, the enclosure and amp rack are NOT going into this car. I will instead concentrate on a design that maintains as much storage space as possible while in the meantime looking nice as well.




I have also just recieved a new vent to replace the factory hood scoop. Im not sure wether or not I like it, but it is different. imput is welcome.


http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/038.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/041.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/042.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/040.jpg

[CHAOS]

i saw the vent in person... looks great.

[S4toSTI]

space for pics to be added in 20 min.

Its been 21.

[WKderF]

Its been 21.


blow me, I had a customer.

[Renegade_]

I say keep it

[auk113]

i love it, keep it

[Barry'z (NJ)]

Vent looks awesome! I greatly prefer it over the scoop, but I like clean lines and I'm not into "Boy-Racer" flash.

[Vypurr]

I still like the vent!

[WKderF]

Well,

My new lip has arrived, and the install went incredibly smoothly. i like the new look, i think its more low key then the greddy lip i used to have - which i like. for the most part my exterior is complete. Im hoping to get some better pics but for now take a look:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/95explorer014.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/95explorer015.jpg

[CarbonIS]

very nice fred, looks very clean

[jimtweet]

Well,

My new lip has arrived, and the install went incredibly smoothly. i like the new look, i think its more low key then the greddy lip i used to have - which i like. for the most part my exterior is complete. Im hoping to get some better pics but for now take a look:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/95explorer014.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/95explorer015.jpg

wow dude, car loooooooks sooo much better, i loved that lip when i had it too...i love the clean oem look, you know me, that looks great dude, i want to see it in person now at a show

[Jeffros Spec V]

The only thing I don't like is the blue lugs.

[WKderF]

The only thing I don't like is the blue lugs.

yeah, im on the fence myself w/ the lugs. I have a set of regular chrome lugs w/ a flat top so I may give them a try. call me crazy but I just feel the need to use Rays lugs with a Rays Wheel, and they dont offer silver. the only other color of Rays lugs I would consider is black. dont know how that would look though.

[CHAOS]

black lugs would look better than blue. the lip looks good fred.

[MuddyREX]

Heh. How long did it take you to clean the wheels?

Looks good, better than the Greddy IMO.

[Honest_Bob]

Is that the JDM sti lip?

[WKderF]

Heh. How long did it take you to clean the wheels?

Looks good, better than the Greddy IMO.


theese wheels suck when it comes to cleaning. to really get them clean, i need to take them off of the car & work at the lip w/ a polishing compound. I usually just end up keeping them on the car & using a ton of meguiars wheel cleaner on them. works well for the most part.

And yes, that lip IS the JDM STi lip. only with mine, i removed the lower air splitter section & replaced it with a strip of metal painted to match the rest of the lip. problem with this lip is that the entire thing is made of one piece of urethane, incuding the air splitter. so in the summer, the heat makes the splitter expand & instead of being straight, it gets wavy & looks ugly. so to prevent this - most people cut the splitter section out.

[subwrxkid]

Looks good. I saw those scoops floating on Nasioc, alot of kids are running them now. Obviously, for a good reason since they do look good and very unique.

Have you thought about the DIY lip in addition to this lip as Bobby had it on his car? I did think it looked good. Just a thought.

So, is the car completely done now besides audio?

[WKderF]

Your Attention Please:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/049.jpg



:drag:

[97TurboDSM]

nice numbers. i'll say i also like the new lip and the vent in the hood.

[CHAOS]

300whpclub! hahaha

[MuddyREX]

300!! Sparta!!!!

[Sincere]

I love that scoop delete. I have to say i liked the other wheel better, but it sure is clean. Horay for gettin tuned.

[WKderF]

Thanks. I liked the older wheels, but they don't clear my new baller brakes so they had to be replaced.

Final numbers were 300WHP and 279WTQ. it feels like a totally different car. I am in love all over again.


+1 For Andy @ verocious. A true genius at what he does.

[james_ls]

Thing sounded sick rippin down past Freshworks last night with...how many...5 people in it??

Your wastegate was FREAKING out!

[HuffatTurboTek]

congrats fred and welcome to the club

[WKderF]

thanks, its nice being tuned. i can now say that performance wise my car is pretty much complete.

Exterior - Done.

Performance - Done.

Suspension - Done.

Braking - Done.

Drivetrain - Done (unless something breaks)

Interior - NOT DONE :mad:

my plans now are to shift focus to getting my system done with all due speed.

[Signatus230]

I saw this car a few weeks ago at oaks, and goddam. Just wow, totally awesome man. Totally awesome. I love clean with a little bit on the side.

[WKderF]

some updates:

well my car is pretty much where I want it. only thing im doing now is getting a few parts powdercoated to make them look nicer & resist rust.

not that I was looking to trade up or change my interior, but I managed to work out a seat trade w/ another car enthusiast for some recaro seats from an 06 EVO IX MR. The new seats fit with minor modification & look awesome. I wasnt unhappy with my previous seats, but theese better match my interior & offer greater comfort for extended driving.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/recarosports003.jpg

also, as some may have noticed by my sale threads, my audio sysem is changing once again. I have decided against a dual amp setup with dual subs in favor of a lightweight alternative of a single 5 channel amplifier with a single subwoofer. by doing this i am sacrificing MINIMAL sound quality but gaining trunk storage space & saving weight at the same time.
the more i think about it, the more I like the idea of a simpler system. I'd like to think of my car as just the right amount of everything - and not too much of one particular thing. I feel that this new system follos that mindset well. look for pictures & more updates as the fabrication process begins once again for my new enclosure & amp rack.

[the mike]

Alcantara door cards, STAT.

Looks baller man.

[WKderF]

Alcantara door cards, STAT.

Looks baller man.

already in the works. the fabric is on a roll sitting @ my house. I just need to take them apart & get the change done.

door cards: Check.

[TrboChicsRock]

I looooooooooooooooooooove Evo IX seats! They're definitely on my list of things to buy for my car. Looks awesome!

[goodfella732]

Damn dude, those seats look hot.

[Vypurr]

Embroidered headrests?

[upperguy]

I managed to work out a seat trade w/ another car enthusiast for some recaro seats from an 06 EVO IX MR. The new seats fit with minor modification & look awesome. I wasnt unhappy with my previous seats, but theese better match my interior & offer greater comfort for extended driving.

Glad you are enjoying the seats;) not that there was any doubt before, but awesome guy to deal with and glad we could make everything work:)

[subwrxkid]

I had those seats also, but I sold them. They are definately sick as hell!

Dan, I assume your putting Fred's seats in your M3. I hear my friends are sponsoring you for the aka rally this year, that's sick!

[upperguy]

I had those seats also, but I sold them. They are definately sick as hell!

Dan, I assume your putting Fred's seats in your M3. I hear my friends are sponsoring you for the aka rally this year, that's sick!

STICHRIS!



is actually in talks with them to sponsor the rally as a whole, potentially. They seemed pretty psyched about it but I'm not 100% sure if they signed on. The speeds are going in the M3 but because of some suspension issues the M3 will not be going on the rally:( I will be riding with my buddy Jason in his Z3. How you been D?

[subwrxkid]

STICHRIS!



is actually in talks with them to sponsor the rally as a whole, potentially. They seemed pretty psyched about it but I'm not 100% sure if they signed on. The speeds are going in the M3 but because of some suspension issues the M3 will not be going on the rally:( I will be riding with my buddy Jason in his Z3. How you been D?

lol, stichris! He does donuts in highways. :lol:

No doubt, they are awesome dudes! I will talk to them and see whats up about sponsoring the whole rally!

I'm good. I'll PM you so we don't go way off topic in Fred's thread! :cool:

[WKderF]

I'll PM you so we don't go way off topic in Fred's thread! :cool:



OMG, I didnt even have to ask. we are learning. this is progress. progress is good. Thankyou D.

[WKderF]

Well its been a while since my last update & a few changes have been made:

a while back I recieved a damaged set of HID ballasts. they were not working properly & needed repair, so I took my time & several months later, I finally got around to fixing them. I picked up a set of 3000K H3 HID bulbs & just finished installing them into my JDM foglights. HOLY BRIGTNESS BATMAN!!!! I didnt think HID bulbs would be THAT much brighter than the PIAA Crystal ION bulbs I had in there before. Usually with HIDs, the farther you get away from like 4000 - 4300K the less light the bulbs produce. however having instaled these into my fogs they are amazingy bright. Ill have some pics up just as soon as it stops raining.

I have also decided to begin my quest for everything PRODRIVE. Since getting the Prodrive / Alcon brake system, I want to pick up as many Prodrive goodies as i can. on the list early on is the oil cap, battery tie down, intake, and the most desirable - the oval tip exhaust. my goal is to replace the various other items I have with their prodrive counterpart, so several items on my car will be going up for sale very soon. they include:

Autospeed Full 3" twin-tip turboback exhaust w/ High flow cat
Sparco Globe X shift knob black leather (matches perforated leather on sparco steering wheel)
Sparco Lap 5 Streering wheel (350mm)
Greddy Front strut bar (Ends powdercoated Silver Sparkle)

I want to continue my theme of being a tastefully modded wrx with just the right amount of everything. and I really like everything prodrive has to offer - so the more things I can have from them, the cooler ill be (not really).


With any luck ill have some new ful car shots - and my journal will once again be read by everyone & not clicked over.





Stay tuned.

[james_ls]

Ohh I love HID's all the way around...

I can't wait to see this one man!

[wishiwasturbod]

yo where the hell did u find that hood vent?? i know how u feel about the front lip too :cry:

mine went bye bye months back thanks to a snow bank "urethane won't break"......my @ss!! :mad:

its ok tho, i know if i still had it i'd scrape the sh!t outta everything now that my car is lowered lmao.

[JET02WRX]

I have the oval tipped exhaust... Looks great and sounds even better! Good choice!

[OMGz Turbo]

Fred i have always wanted to make love to your car. lol Even at the meetings at absolute...i was balling in a ford ranger back then...But hey i think i had the loudest cheapest system for my area!!! WOOHOOLOL

[MuddyREX]

Still my favorite WRX here......

[SpendOne]

Junk!

[WKderF]

UPDATE:

Well, in my quest for more power, I came to accept the fact that there was not really anywhere else to go with my current setup. I felt limited by not only the 5 speed, but also the 2.0 Liter motor. getting to the 300Whp mark was a goal - and it was met. so now I find myself asking: now what? combine this with my recent experience in STi swaps (Troll's Car) I have decided to go ahead with an STi swap myself.


Thats right folks: Fred is gonna do an STi swap!

with the help of others, I have lined up a motor & trans, & some of the work is already underway. stay tuned for pics & updates.

Because I have an 04, doing an STi swap wont be as crazy as trolls, but it will be some work.

[subwrxkid]

Sick! 07?

[WKderF]

its actually an 04 STi tranny & motor, but they have low miles. its also the easiest to swap into my car.

[CarbonIS]

sounds sick fred, good luck with it!

[Renegade_]

its actually an 04 STi tranny & motor, but they have low miles. its also the easiest to swap into my car.
No immobilizer ftw

[C'DALERIDER]

FP Green.

[TrboChicsRock]

You know what would go really good with the sti motor and trans swap? Sti seats! And then you can give me your Evo 9 seats.

I have such great ideas.

[teh DIRT]

do these swaps ever stop!














i effin hope not!

[Vypurr]

Pete...Maybe you can get a tranny out of this swap? lol

[teh DIRT]

now we are talking.

haha, no. Me and fred have other plans. I dont do 3k trannies.

[HuffRex]

Does everybody gotta copycat me on this board...hahaha jk congrats fred and good luck

[WKderF]

thanks. This swap should go pretty smoothly. with any luck we will get it done faster than trolls swap.

[WKderF]

alright, there are two main schools of thought on how to perform an STi swap. I was lucky enough to have the pleasure of working along side bryan & pete, as we transpanted every single nut, bolt, & wire from an 07 STi donor car into his bugeye sedan. The work took fifteen days, and a few headaches. The outcome was an outstanding success, and we all enjoyed the work & the journey to bring bryan's car to where it is now. We will call this method: "The Hard Way"


F**K that!



Not that I didnt enjoy doing the swap, but i can make things alot easier on myself. We will call this next method: "The Easy Way"



I now own a 2004 STI as well as a 2004 WRX.


I chose an 04 not only because I like the body style, but because nearly every single mod from my WRX could transfer over, including brakes, suspension, & wheels. so for a month I have the pleasure of owning 2 blue subarus. so over the next few weeks, the wrx will get stripped & returned to complete stock form, & the STi will day by day come to look exactly like the WRX it is replacing.


Pics will be up when I get the opportuity.

[JET02WRX]

Is the STi intact? Meaning... its a perfectly working car? Or is it wrecked and you are going to revive it? Blown motor? etc..etc...
Congrats either way!

[Renegade_]

I chose an 04 not only because I like the body style, but because nearly every single mod from my WRX could transfer over, including brakes, suspension, & wheels. so for a month I have the pleasure of owning 2 blue subarus. so over the next few weeks, the wrx will get stripped & returned to complete stock form, & the STi will day by day come to look exactly like the WRX it is replacing.
So you are swapping out the brembos on the sti....

price? :wiggle:

[BluMeanie]

Haha I was so confused when you said you were swapping. I just figured you changed your mind. I guess you'll need those thingies soon then huh?

[TROLL]

yeah he got a good condition fully functioning, stock STi. and he is pulling the front brembos off, when he gets to it.

[S4toSTI]

Don't dodge the swear filter noob haha. Congrats fred i guess the secret is out.

[WKderF]

indeed. The secret is out. And here it is in all its stock glory:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/photo-1.jpg

and yes, there will be several STi take-offs for sale including: suspension, front brembos, TMIC, interior, trunk & spoiler, Hood Scoop, and fog lights.

[teh DIRT]

wait what?! no swap! i was so exicted to do it.



ok I am lying.

[BluMeanie]

Fog lights?

[WKderF]

yeah, the STi came with OEM projector fog lights which are not standard on the STi. I will be swapping over my entire WRX front bumper which includes my uber JDM fog lights. since I have my stock fogs from the WRX, I end up with an extra set of OEMs.

[Sincere]

Congrats. Horay for the eazier way. How much for the tmic?? Dibs if the price is right.

[joe tom]

congrats fred! good luck!

[chrisvette49]

awesome

[james_ls]

That's one way to do it!

Have fun!

[HuffRex]

Fred I'm going to call you today about some items on the sti, namely the front brembos, suspension, and trunk and wing.

[CarbonIS]

nice fred!

[CHAOS]

good job fred, im proud of you.... look at me.... im proud of you lol

[WKderF]

Fred I'm going to call you today about some items on the sti, namely the front brembos, suspension, and trunk and wing.

ill pm you my number, just incase. :mrgreen:

[ray@turbotek]

hey fred congrats :)

[WKderF]

Update:


I just want to say that returning a car to stock SUCKS. Its all the work of taking a car from stock to stage 3, but without ANY sort of reward at the end like a fast car. instead, your only reward is if the car starts up again, which happily it did.

so my WRX is now PAINFULLY stock, and as of right now rolling on a set of snow tires. by halloween, the WRX will be no more :(

but screw the WRX, lets talk about the STi!


I finally got a chance to do some real work on the STi. I got a chance to install all the major components over from the WRX onto the STi including:

Tein Flex coilovers
Greddy Front strut bar
Prodrive BBK
New Perrin rear sway bar w/ HD mounts
Baller Recaro leather seats & RA-R Spec-C rear seat
Tein Hood Struts < (A must have for anyone who wrenches on their suby)
Greddy RS BOV
Prodrive Oval tip Exhaust

I also swapped over my grill with the center emblem cut out & painted over.

and I finally got a chance to clear & paint my stock headlights. the whole clearing & painting process was alot easier then I remember it being. Ill post up pics as soon as i get the chance to show off but im happy to say that the STi is really coming together.

yay for me. :)

[ray@turbotek]

ttiwwop :roll:

[CarbonIS]

i seen it this thing is baller.

[WKderF]

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/photo2.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/photo.jpg

more pics coming when I find my real camera.

[turbo4g63]

very nice...i'm getting so anxious...i need to sell my car and get one of these

[WKderF]

Update:

Well I was driving home last night when all of the sudden I lost my power steering, & my battery voltage began to drop. I was only a block away from home & the engine was still running ok so i made it home to discover that I had broken my alternator / accessory belt. it was quite a site to see under the hood, little bits of belt everywhere. I looked at the A/C belt & it wasnt broken, but looked as if it needed replacement, so this morning I ordered one of each belt. with any luck, I will get them installed tonight & be good to go.

I also installed my Hella horns while I had the grill off. My neighbor wasnt too happy when I tested them at 1:30 in the morning but F*** them, hella horns are cool.

I had my hella horns powdercoated black but im now thinking I may want them red again. I dunno. Ill post up pics & see what everyone thinks.

STis still kick ass. That is all.

[teh DIRT]

i told you red was better.

[S4toSTI]

red Hellas are where it is at any other color is boring obviously. Sorry you had the belt problem fred.

[CarbonIS]

yeah red hellaz rulez!

[CHAOS]

so fred, whats the overall thought on the wrx vs the new sti?

[WKderF]

STis kick ass. That is all.


simply put.

[CarbonIS]

did you just quote yourself?

[ray@turbotek]

did you just quote yourself?

fred is the only guy that can get away with that, he has the coolness :cool:

[WKderF]

i got madd skillz yo.

[CHAOS]

nice.

[james_ls]

Hellas MUST be red.

It give it that whole..."Don't make me press this bitch" status.

[WKderF]

UPDATEZ:

you would think that in 4 months, alot would change.

ha, no.

I have been steadily collecting mods to install but the need of a new clutch has been holding up any forward progress. I have in my possession a Forced Performance TD-06H 20G turbo with aftermarket oil & coolant lines waiting to be installed. I have also swapped out my stock injectors for PE850s (thanks Ray). ray was kind enough to help with the install & then tune my car (with opensource AKA romraider) so I could use them on my stock turbo. I have also partially installed a Process West Oil cooler. The core is mounted, but I am waiting on my next oil change to compete the installation. so as of right now you could call it an "oil Fooler", but it will be functional soon enough. I am also about to pick up new wheels for the summer that will hopefully show off my brakes better than the Volks I used to own. So ill post up as things get installed & progress is made.

but until then, im whorin out this latest pic taken by S4toSTi (barry):

http://images31.fotki.com/v1093/photos/7/737446/5973091/BJS_01501-vi.jpg

[subwrxkid]

Gangster.

[cmr076]

no pink wheels? you must not have gotten the memo.

[subwrxkid]

^woah, relax bud! lol

[WKderF]

Update:

Well im still waiting for a new clutch to come around, & in the meantime I am happy to say that Ive finally found my dream set of wheels. Through an incredible amount of chance & luck, I am now the proud owner of a set of 18x8 Prodrive GC-05F Forged Wheels. I have wanted a set of these wheels ever since they were first released. Some may say that its too simple of a design, but i happen to think that the wheel has very nice curves & is the perfect wheel to show off a baller set of brakes - which i have :mrgreen:. Although not in pictures yet, I also have painted my rear Brembo calipers silver to match the Prodrive brakes I have in the front. I could not be happier with the look & I can say with 100% certainty that Silver > Gold when it comes to brakes. anyways, look for better pics soon but for now check these out which i snapped a few weeks ago.

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/DSC09755.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/DSC09759.jpg

[CarbonIS]

i have seen the silver rear brakes he speaks of and it is true, silver > gold

[cmr076]

is the oil fooler hooked up yet?

[WKderF]

is the oil fooler hooked up yet?


haha, not yet.

Its actually kinda frustrating. I have stuff to go fast. I have a turbo, an oil cooler, and opensource tuning. to install the oil cooler, i should do an oil change at the same time. because oil runs through the turbo, i should do the oil cooler & the turbo at the same time. after I install the turbo, i need to get tuned. I cannot get tuned until I have a new clutch which will hold the power I will make. So I cant install the turbo, or the oil cooler, or get tuned, without the new clutch. Im holding out to see if one will become available, if not then i plan to pick up a new one soon. after that - everything should fall into place nicely.

[CarbonIS]

dont forget, you can't change the oil until you get a clutch as well :wink:

[TROLL]

pics of silver rear brakes plz.

and stop being so jewish... do a damn oil change and then just do another one when you do the turbo swap if you feel the need, but its not really necessary unless you dump coolant into the oil return or something, haha.

[WKderF]

Im also not due for an oil change for another 1k miles. but damn troll, thats harsh. ( & a new sig :mrgreen:)

[WKderF]

crappy phone pics until better ones can be taken by professionals (Cough, Cough )

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/photo2-1.jpg

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n302/wkderf/photo-2.jpg

[Signatus230]

Sick brakes. Sick wheels. Sick car.

[turbo4g63]

Clean car. This is the first time i've seen a Subaru owner not fwapping away about having gold wheels.

[subwrxkid]

are you going to put emblems on the rear calipers?

[WKderF]

yeah, although im torn between 2 different decals. I either plan to have the word Brembo in black, or I was also thinking of doing the Prodrive "P" logo with the blue underline. I think the prodrive logo would really tie the front & rear brakes together, but some might say that doing that would be decieving, or even lying. I dunno, i have both on order so we shal see.

[TROLL]

you're gonna have to put the P on your rear... yup. say that out loud in a public place.

[cmr076]

haha bryan is on a ****ing roll today! anti-Semitic remarks, and even f@g bashing... i think he needs to give himself some infraction points... fred i still love you even tho your a gay jew ::cough:: ::cough:: at tweeter ::cough:: ::cough::

[WKderF]

update:

I has a clutch!

I has a clutch!

after waiting for the right deal to come along, I am happy to say that i finally have a new clutch waiting to be installed. so now the modding process on my car can resume with all due speed. look for install pics & dyno charts soon.